In honor of syttende mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), our collection item of the week is this rosemåled plate painted by Per Lysne. Lysne was born in Norway where his father taught him to rosemål.

In 1907 Lysne came to the United states with his wife. He was employed as a wagon painter in Stoughton, Wisconsin. When business slowed during the Depression he began to rosemål again. The smorgasbord plate became his signature piece. By the early 1940's, his work was in such demand, visitors to his back yard studio were told they would have to wait up to a year for a rosemåled plate. The revival of rosemåling in the Norwegian-American community is often credited to Per Lysne.

To learn more about Per Lysne, visit the Stoughton Historical Society website: http://www.stoughtonhistoricalsociety.org/Photo_Per_Lysne.htm